Delhi gangrape: Sheila forced to leave protest site

Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit was booed out of Jantar Mantar on Saturday when she arrived to light a candle and pay tribute to the rape victim.

Around 500 people gathered at the Capital’s Jantar Mantar to mourn the death of the 23-year-old physiotherapist who succumbed to her injuries earlier in the day.

When Dikshit reached Jantar Mantar at 2pm with her security personnel, the crowd erupted in anger, forcing her to leave the place almost immediately. But before leaving, she hurriedly lit a candle and said a prayer for the departed soul. “I wanted to express my grief,” she said.

According to those present, the trouble began when some people from ABVP — BJP’s student wing — spotted Dikshit and started shouting slogans. This drew the attention of other mourners, who soon joined in.

“When the protests were on, she did not visit the place. The CM was just trying to gain political mileage,” said Shekhar Dabas, one of the mourners.

Kavita Krishnan of the All India Progressive Women’s Association dubbed Dikshit’s visit an ‘empty solidarity’. “There were many lapses on the part of the government,” she said.

But some others felt the CM should have been allowed to participate in the mourning. “We are discussing the safety and respect for women but the way people booed her out was shameful,” said Neeraj Kumar, a teacher, who was also present at Jantar Mantar.